The Journey from Manual to Connected Systems in Logistics

In an ever-evolving industry ecosystem, businesses aim to stay ahead of the curve with state-of-the-art technologies. Today, supply chains are more complex than ever, requiring you to step beyond traditional transport management systems and switch to integrated logistics management systems (ILMS). ILMS is a journey from simple digitalization to connected architecture, empowering logistics at granular levels.

A competent ILMS solution aims to unify siloed operations and data with one-window collaboration and data transfers across stakeholders within and outside the organizations. The holistic approach strengthens control, transparency, decision matrix, resilience, and stakeholder relationships.

Manual Systems vs Connected ILMS

Connected systems outperform manual systems across five core parameters: process execution, accuracy, data access, consistency, and visibility.

	Manual Systems	Connected Systems
Process Execution	Time-Consuming Manual execution at every step, from data entry to communication between departments, takes time and causes delays in the process.	Efficiency and Speed With connected systems, data flows automatically across departments, enabling faster completion of tasks and eliminating bottlenecks.
Accuracy	High Error Rates Manual data handling significantly increases the risk of errors. Mistakes in data entry, misplaced documents, and miscommunication are common, leading to discrepancies and financial losses.	Reduced Errors Automation and integration minimize human intervention, significantly lowering the risk of errors. Consistent data entry protocols and automatic updates ensure accuracy across the board.
Data Access	Limited Data Accessibility Information is often siloed and stored in different locations. Accessing comprehensive data requires physically retrieving documents or contacting multiple people, slowing decision-making.	Centralized Data Access Connected systems have centralized data, making it easily accessible to authorized personnel at any time. This improves collaboration and ensures everyone works with the same information.
Data Consistency	Inconsistent Data Manual operations can lead to inconsistencies, as different people may record the same data differently. This inconsistency can be confusing and result in unreliable reporting.	Consistent and Reliable Data Integrated systems ensure that data is consistent across all touchpoints. This uniformity eliminates confusion and leads to reliable reporting and analysis.
Visibility	Lack of Real-Time Insights Due to the unavailability of real-time visibility, reporting is retrospective, limiting the ability to monitor and make proactive decisions, increasing response time, and delaying the identification of deviations.	Real-Time Insights and Decision-Making With connected systems, data is updated in real-time, allowing businesses to monitor operations continuously, identify trends, and make proactive decisions, enhancing responsiveness and agility.

Future-proofing the supply chain

The logistics landscape is vulnerable to complexities and unforeseen changes at every step. It demands an agile supply chain model that can be sustained in a dynamic industry setup without affecting the performance and cost dynamics. This agility can be achieved with ILMS, which ensures real-time collaboration and data visibility. Unlike manual systems, ILMS allow logistics stakeholders can identify forthcoming risks and fluctuations to prevent them before they occur.

Join us on the transformative journey to integrated logistics to build resilience and future readiness.